PARIS: When the leaders of global airlines posed for a photo in June, there were 25 men in dark suits and a lone woman in the last seat on the far right.
That could be changing, but very slowly.
Air France announced Wednesday that Anne Rigail will take over as CEO next week. Rigail, a 27-year company veteran and currently an executive vice president, will be the first woman to lead the French carrier, which was formed in 1933. Parent company Air France-KLM Group will continue to be led by a man, however.
Few women have run large airlines. Carolyn McCall was CEO of British low-cost carrier EasyJet for seven years until leaving this year to run British broadcaster ITV. Christine Ourmieres-Widener, the woman in the June photo of CEOs, leads Flybe, a European regional airline that has fewer than 100 planes.
In the United States, Air Wisconsin, a regional airline that operates United Express flights, is led by CEO Christine Deister, and another regional, Cape Air, has a female president, Linda Markham.
But no major US carrier has ever had a female CEO, and only a few women hold other top jobs. In May, JetBlue Airways named Joanna Geraghty president and chief operating officer — the No. 2 job. Tammy Romo has been chief financial officer at Southwest Airlines since 2012, succeeding another woman. Elize Eberwein is an executive vice president at American Airlines.
As of June, there were just 18 women holding down jobs of CEO, president or managing director at airlines around the world, according to the Center for Aviation, an Australia-based airline industry research group. That is unchanged from a 2010 survey.
Women in the industry have said airlines need to do more to recruit and promote women, provide better mentoring, and encourage those who take maternity leave to return to their careers.
The International Air Transport Association — that’s the group whose leaders were pictured in June — has declared gender equality a priority. The group reported in March that only 3 percent of aviation CEOs are women, compared with 12 percent in other industries.
It didn’t help, however, that the association’s new president, Akbar Al Baker, the CEO of Qatar Airways, suggested that women aren’t up to the job of running an airline.
“Of course it has to be led by a man, because it is a very challenging position,” he said at a news conference. He later apologized.
As the new CEO at Air France, Rigail will certainly have her challenges. The airline faces contentious wage negotiations with pilots and flight attendants and has been hit by a series of damaging strikes. The last CEO quit after union employees rejected his offer of small pay raises for the next four years.
In a statement issued by Air France, Rigail said she is extremely honored by the promotion. Benjamin Smith, the CEO of parent Air France-KLM Group, said Rigail has always paid special attention to employees, and he expressed confidence that the airline can meet its challenges.
In airline-business rarity, Air France picks a woman CEO
In airline-business rarity, Air France picks a woman CEO
- As of June, there were just 18 women holding down jobs of CEO, president or managing director at airlines around the world, according to the Center for Aviation, an Australia-based airline industry research group
Acwa signs key terms to develop 5GW of renewable energy capacity in Turkiye
JEDDAH: Saudi utility giant Acwa has signed key investment agreements with Turkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to develop up to 5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, starting with 2GW of solar power across two plants in Sivas and Taseli.
Under the investment agreement, Acwa will develop, finance, and construct, as well as commission and operate both facilities, according to a press release.
The program builds on the company’s first investment in Turkiye, the 927-megawatt Kirikkale Independent Power Plant, valued at $930 million, which offsets approximately 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, the statement added.
A separate power purchase agreement has been concluded with Elektrik Uretim Anonim Sirketi for the sale of electricity generated by each facility.
Turkiye aims to boost solar and wind capacity to 120GW by 2035, supported by around $80 billion in investment, while recent projects have already helped prevent 12.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and reduced reliance on imported natural gas.
Turkiye’s energy sector has undergone a rapid transformation in recent years, with renewable power emerging as a central pillar of its strategy.
Raad Al-Saady, vice chairman and managing director of ACWA, said: “The signing of the IA (implementation agreement) and PPA key terms marks a pivotal moment in Acwa’s partnership with Turkiye, reflecting the country’s strong potential as a clean energy leader and manufacturing powerhouse.”
He added: “Building on our long-standing presence, including the 927MW Kirikkale Power Plant commissioned in 2017, this step elevates our partnership to a new level,” Al-Saady said.
In its statement, Acwa said the 5GW renewable energy program will deliver electricity at fixed prices, enhancing predictability for grid planning and supporting long-term industrial investment.
By replacing imported fossil fuels with domestically generated clean energy, the initiative is expected to reduce Turkiye’s exposure to global energy market volatility, strengthening energy security and lowering long-term power costs.
The company added that the economic impact will extend beyond the anticipated investment of up to $5 billion in foreign direct investment, with thousands of jobs expected during the construction phase and hundreds of high-skilled roles created during operations.
The energy firm concluded that its existing progress in Turkiye reflects a strong appreciation for Turkish engineering, construction, and manufacturing capacity, adding that localization has been a strategic priority, and it has already achieved 100 percent local employment at its developments in the country.
